Floatage



12, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l S. N. DUNBAR FLOATAGE Filed Sept.

March 17, 1931.

Inventor 2774201602" A llomey March 17, 1931. v s. N. jU 1,796,595

FLOATAGE Filed Sept. 12, 1950 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Inoenlor Q By A llorney I so Patented Mar. 17, 1931 smrrrnn N. DUNBAR, or

wEs'rBnaY, NEW YORK FLOATAGE Application filed September 12, 1930. Serial No. 481,485.

This invention relates generally to devices for maintaining a disabled ship against sinking, and which may be also employed to ra se a ship which is sunk in the water. The 111- vention specifically relates to an inflatable structure, which when deflated is carried on board the ship and is adapted to be thrown overboard in time of danger of sinking, and inflated, so that it will bear the weight of a ship and cargo, and maintain them against sinking in the water.

It is an object of this invention to provlde a new and novel structure of this type, which is extraordinarily effective and convenient to use, and which may be installed upon and carried by ships and water vehicles of various types, with slight modifications.

The above and new and novel arrangement and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more clearly perceived.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which comprises a plurality of inflatable structures arranged to expand and to be suspended from the outside and completely around the ship, and which may be taken on board the ship hen not in use quickly and easily and placed into operative position in an emergency. g

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described, which comprises a plurality of air chambers, secured to and suspended from the ship 111 a novel manner for sustaining the ship in an emergency.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a superior and successful device of the character described which is adapted to be inflated by pumps in a manual or mechanical operation, which are connected to the lnfiatable chambers by means of compressed air ment and combination of parts, will be readconduits that may be quickly and expedi tiously filled with air in an emergency to support the ship against sinking in the water and'becoming lost.

. These and other objects of the invention, its nature and its composition and arrangeily understood from a reading of the follow- 0 ing description from the drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a ship showing the manner of installation of my improved floatage-thereon,

b Figure '2 is a top view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end view partly in cross section showing the'disposition of the floatage at the side and one end of the ship, and

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross section through one of thefloats or air chambers disclosing the formation thereof.

It is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of this invention to the particular modification set forth herein to illustrate the principle thereof, and any change or changes may be made in material or structure consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention. 1

Referringin detail to the drawings, the

numeral 5 designates generally a ship having the floatage generally designated 6 sus- .i

pended and secured thereabout and very clearly indicated in Figures 2 and 3. Floatage 6 consists ofa plurality of inflatable floats 7 which are secured in end to end relation about the ship. The formation of said floats can be quickly and accurately described and understood by reference .to Figure 4. which the numeral 8. indicates an interior rubber or rubber composition bladder and has surrounding it in various directions a 3 heavy canvas band 9, and the numeral 10 denotes a sheath of heavy rope netting. It is obvious that this construction forms a very strong and durable structure, capable of standing up under the most adverse circuinstances met with weatherat sea. The object of providing a pluralityof the floats 7 is that the puncture ofthem or a few of them will not affect materially the supporting power of the remaining floats, whereas the provision of a single, communicating structure would result in dlsaster should it be punctured or otherwise injured dooming the vessel to become lost to the mercies ofstorm passed waters. The numeral 11 denotes heavy canvas reinforced bands which are constructed to go about the floatage and un- .der the ship, for maintaining the said floatage andithe said ship in proper relation for preventing the undue separation of either side of the floatage from the companion side of the ship. The bands 11 have their ends wrapped around portions of the floatage and chains 12 are connected with said bands at their juncture with the said fioatage, the

upper ends of the chains 12 being connected with the ship. Figure 3 indicates the proper suspension-i angle as permitted by the pro vision of the said chains which are-attachednear the upper part of the hull of the vessel as indicated at 13. Of course suitable means I ing their ends connected with the sides of the buoyant member and passing under the ship, a longitudinally extending flexible member having its ends connected with the ends of the buoyant member and passing under the ship, and flexible members for connecting the "side portions of the j buoyant member with the sides of a ship. w r

Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

- SHAFTER N. DUNBAR.

for affixing this attachment may be employed, i

not in use and in deflated condition and stored.

in the same manner as lifeboats and "the like now maintained, audit is a simple and expeditious movement and maneuver, with suitable mountings, to project the device overboard in an emergency'and to inflate the same either while it is in process of being placed overboard or while it is disposed in said position. The time required for inflating is not so excessive as to require vc'ry high powered pumps and the inflation may be accomplished by hand pumps, should the 'powerfpump be 3 disabledthrough any cause, the usual delay 7 between the occurrence of an emergency and the danger point is usually sufficientto enable the floatto be inflated manually to effectively sustain the ship against the threatened sinking. I I

I It is thought to be obvious that I have provided a device of the character described and effective in operation, is not expensive to manufacture or to instalhwhich comprises new and novel features which indicate a construction of high efficiency and great power andu'se fulness in emergency and which may begadapted to similar androther maritime emergencies, and whichis otherwise admira- Y 'bly adapted for the purpose for which itis designed. I 1

Having thus I claim as new is :v e

Means for preventing described my invention, what, 1

"a disabled'ship from vsinklng comprising a buoyant member en tirely surrounding the ship and composed Q of ajplurality'of cylindricaltubular mem- .bers, each formed of resilientmateriahmeaiis for inflating said members, anouter tubular covering formed of netting for receiving the cylindrical members and holdi'n'gthem in end to end relation, strips of flexible material l'l'tlV. 

